LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers manager Dave Roberts echoed the feelings of some of his players in the wake of stark revelations about the Houston Astros' illegal use of technology to steal signs throughout the 2017 season.

"'Frustrating,'" Roberts said, "is probably the floor of my emotions."

Despite those frustrations, all players who were made available during the team's annual FanFest at Dodger Stadium on Saturday said they had no interest in being deemed champions in 2017 and 2018, referencing a resolution the L.A. City Council agreed to send to MLB earlier this week.

"We don't want a trophy," longtime Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner said. "We don't want a fake banner hanging in our stadium. We didn't earn that. We didn't catch that final out to win a championship. We don't want that.

"We just wanna move forward in 2020, get prepared this season, and do it the right way and get all those experiences -- get to catch that last out, get to dogpile on the field, put on those shirts, put on those hats, have someone be the MVP and get a car, be in the locker room, spray the champagne. Get sized for rings. Take that parade that L.A. is dying to have, and have that parade in downtown L.A. and do it the right way."

An investigation by Major League Baseball determined the Astros used a center-field monitor for real-time video of catchers' signs and subsequently banged a trash can to alert their hitters of incoming pitches, confirming initial comments from Mike Fiers to The Athletic.

The sign-stealing practice -- which also included the more conventional method of using the video replay room to decode signs and relay them to a runner on second base -- extended into the 2017 postseason, when the Astros ultimately defeated the Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series.

Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman was asked if any members of the Astros have reached out to apologize and whether they have publicly shown enough remorse.

"They have not," Friedman said regarding both questions.

Roberts said he specifically felt bad for pitchers like Clayton Kershaw, Kenley Jansen and Yu Darvish, who took a lot of criticism for their performance against the Astros in that World Series.

"It's really frustrating if you look at what could've happened," Roberts said.

MLB released the findings of its investigation on Jan. 13 and also doled out punishments. Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow and manager AJ Hinch were each suspended for the entire season and subsequently fired by owner Jim Crane. The team was also fined $5 million and forced to forfeit four draft picks within the first two rounds of the next two drafts.

In the following days, Alex Cora, a bench coach for the 2017 Astros who went on to manage a Boston Red Sox team caught up in similar allegations, was fired. So was Carlos Beltran, a key veteran player on that Astros team who had just been named the New York Mets manager in November.

The Dodgers returned to the World Series in 2018 and lost in five games to the Red Sox, who are being investigated by MLB for using their video replay room to steal signs.

Pitcher Ross Stripling and infielder Enrique Hernandez both said they had suspicions about the Astros illegally stealing signs heading into the 2017 World Series, but didn't know the extent of their methods.

"MLB did what they had to do, what they felt was necessary," Turner said. "I think the tough part is -- we know how hard it is to win a World Series. Getting there back-to-back years and not being successful -- we know that it's something that you really have to earn. With the commissioner's report and the evidence and what they have, it's hard to feel like [the Astros] earned it and they earned the right to be called champions, which I think is something everybody in this game holds pretty highly."

Roberts considers himself a close friend of Hinch, who expressed his displeasure over the sign-stealing system by damaging the video monitor on two occasions, according to MLB's report.

"We've been friends for a long time," Roberts said. "I don't think it's personal."

New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom pitched for new manager Luis Rojas in the minor leagues, as the two-time Cy Young Award winner was preparing his skill set for the majors.

So you can imagine deGrom's enthusiasm, after New York's roller-coaster offseason, that spring training is almost here and that there will be a familiar face captaining it.

"He knows the game of baseball really well," deGrom said. "He communicates really well with everybody. You ask every guy in there that has been around him. Just a good baseball guy and a really good person."

The Mets could use that type of steadying force after a dizzying four-month spell. After firing manager Mickey Callaway in October, the Mets hired Carlos Beltran to replace him in November, only to part ways with Beltran in January. Finally, with the sign-stealing scandal simmering a bit, and the roster all but set for spring training, New York ultimately ended up with Rojas.

"Our main focus," deGrom said, "is on what we need to do."

The Rojas hire was, by far, the top talking point among the Mets on Saturday at the organization's annual Fan Fest. While several members of the team were asked about the sign-stealing scandal, and Beltran's role in it, it was clear the Mets are focused on their new manager and building off the momentum of last season's finish.

"He definitely is looking out for your best interest. Like I said in the minor leagues, his goal was player development," deGrom said. "Even talking to him last year, you can tell that is still his mindset. He wants you to be your best. Any time someone can get that out of players, it will definitely help the team."

Pete Alonso, last season's National League Rookie of the Year, also played for Rojas in the minors, long before becoming first Met to lead the majors outright in home runs with 53. He's just as enthused with the Mets' choice.

"I think the stuff that happened with Carlos was very unfortunate. He's very knowledgeable about the game," Alonso said. "But I think Luis is going to do an absolute excellent job."

On Friday, New York general manager Brodie Van Wagenen introduced Rojas, 38, by framing the huge expectations of a team led by deGrom and Alonso. "We have a collection of major league players," Van Wagenen said, "that are talented and built to win right now."

The Mets finished in third place in the National League East last season. At 86-76, they fell behind two playoff teams in their division, the Washington Nationals, who won the World Series, and the Atlanta Braves, who won the East. New York shook a ho-hum start with a summer flurry that vaulted the Mets into wild-card contention. Ultimately, they finished three games behind the final berth, before Callaway was let go.

"The way we played in the second half, we pretty much have the same group of guys coming back, so we're excited," deGrom said. "Looking forward to spring and getting things going. Just being around the guys, being up here for one day, it was like we never left. Just the vibe you get from them and everybody is excited so I think we're ready to go."

It's now up to Rojas, New York's fourth manager in less than three years, to harness that energy.

"Just kind of seeing him manage a game, dude never loses his cool, never hits the panic button. He's always so prepared," Alonso said. "He doesn't just use his knowledge of the game, he uses his instincts very, very well. He's paid his dues managing in the minor leagues."

Rojas is the son of former Montreal Expos and San Francisco Giants manager Felipe Alou and the brother of former big league outfielder Moises Alou, who spent his final two pro seasons with the Mets from 2007-08. Rojas was minor league manager for eight years, Rojas has worked in the organization since 2007.

"My relationship with the guys on the team is a strong one. I feel very secure with how this relationship is gonna be with our roster," Rojas said Friday. "We're here to win. I know them, but it's even better that they know me. I think that's gonna help us."

Van Wagenen concurred

"The equity that he built, not only with the players but the organization and the coaches, was significant in terms of ultimately choosing him," Van Wagenen said. "The players understand his voice. They know when he says something that it has purpose. He doesn't waste a whole lot of words."

DeGrom, who has clearly developed into a voice for the players, could not stress enough at Fan Fest how optimistic the clubhouse will be with Rojas at the helm.

"Everybody in that room knows what they need to do to get ready, and I think everybody was comfortable with Luis," he said. "Everybody knows him so I think that made it a little bit easier, honestly."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Parliament Hill sees victories for Hickey and Jess Gibbons, while Callum Johnson and Jess Judd win Northern titles and Gemma Steel and Omar Ahmed take Midland gold

Adam Hickey ran out an easy winner of the men’s race at the South of England Cross Country Championships over a testing 15km which took in three circuits of Parliament Hill Fields, Steve Smythe reports.

On a busy day of English area cross-country championships on Saturday (Jan 25), Hickey, the reigning British champion and the 2018 National winner, built up a 30-second lead on the first lap of the north London course and then seemed to ease back as he nursed a turned ankle.

The Southend athlete, who was third in Stirling a few weeks ago, pulled further away on the final lap and won by 51 seconds in 47:28 from Highgate’s Alex Lepretre while Dylan Evans won the battle for the bronze.

Led by Luke Prior in fifth, Aldershot won the team race from Tonbridge and Highgate.

Hickey had been second the previous two years in this event and surprisingly it was his first senior South of England title on the country and women’s winner Jess Gibbons also gained her first title.

Gibbons was 10th in her only previous South of England excursion in the junior race in 2016, but here the much improved Reading athlete pulled away in the closing miles.

She won by 21 seconds in 28:41 from Nicole Taylor of Tonbridge, who held off a late charge from 2006 National champion Lizzy Janes by a single second. Led by Hannah Viner in eighth, Highgate won the team race from Aldershot and Tonbridge.

The best race of the day was the under-20 men’s race over 8km which saw Matthew Stonier’s late kick getting him the verdict by the narrowest of margins from Tomer Tarragano as Bedford won the team event.

Seeing she was 15th in her previous race in the European under-23 championships, there was little doubt that Amelia Quirk would win the under-20 race and she delivered with a 38-second win in 24:18.

Fellow Birmingham University student Kate O’Neill took silver as Quirk led Bracknell to team victory.

Another big favourite was Schools International winner Beatrice Wood, who won the under-17 women’s race but admitted she almost did not run due to a recent illness and played safe and made a late move to win in 19:13, three seconds up on Kirsten Stilwell as Aldershot won the team race.

The boys’ equivalent saw a surprise as Kent bronze medallist Matthew Taylor shocked the favourites with a fast finish and won by four seconds in 21:50 from a below par Will Barnicoat, although the latter had the consolation of leading Windsor to team victory.

Windsor also won the under-15 girls team race which was not surprising as Charlotte Dewar (17:00) won easily from team-mate Rachel Clutterbuck.

South London took gold in the under-15 boys race led by Conrad Norman’s ninth place but the favourite Lewis Sullivan, the reigning English Schools 1500m and cross-country champion, won in style in 14:24, six seconds ahead of Ethan Scott.

Sullivan had to ease back at one stage as the marshalling left something to be desired in the opening race of the day and he had to ask his competitors where to go.

Chiltern dominated the under-13 races winning individual and team events with Alden Collier taking the boys event by 18 seconds in 11:24 while Francesca Baxter proved too strong for her opponents in the girls race as she won in 12:20 from Tonbridge’s Lily Stack (12:27).

Northern Cross Country Championships, Bedale

Callum Johnson and Jessica Judd won the senior Northern titles at a new venue near Bedale in North Yorkshire, Roger Norton reports.

Johnson, from Gateshead Harriers, was always in the leading group but at one time it looked as though Leeds City’s Linton Taylor was going to make a winning run for home. However, Johnson recovered from a bad patch to finish strongly, while Joe Steward of East Cheshire also got the better of Taylor to take silver.

Judd (pictured below) was an impressive winner of the women’s race for Blackburn as she shook off the challenge of international triathlete Georgia Taylor-Brown who was having her first cross country race since last year’s National, when she placed fourth.

In third was Mhairi Maclennan, who is now running for Preston and who had won this title for the last two years.

With 4 in 12 and another two in the top 16, Leeds City swamped the opposition in the team race.

Olivia Mason of Border and Josh Dickinson of Leeds City won the under-20 titles. Lara Crawford of Sale and Archie Lowe of Middlesbrough took the under-17 races.

Grace Roberts of Vale Royal and Christopher Perkins of Birtley captured the under-15 titles, while Maisey Bellwood of Keighley & Craven and Alex Boyer of Darlington won under-13 gold.

Derby Runner Midland Cross Country Champs, Prestwold Hall

Gemma Steel led Charnwood to a women’s team victory at Prestwold Hall near Loughborough as she was backed up by third-placed former champion, Juliet Potter, Martin Duff reports.

After a slow start, the former European gold medallist moved through to the lead alongside early front runner and Lincolnshire champion Cloe Hubbard. The three all tried to get away before Steel took advantage of a tentative run by Hubbard through the wooded section to win by 30m with Potter a similar distance down.

On an increasingly sticky course, Omar Ahmed led Birchfield to a solid team win (pictured below) to put an end to Notts AC’s nine-year run of golds.

Part of a three-man breakaway with team-mate Kadar Omar Abdullahi and 2019 under-20 champion Ben Dijkstra, Ahmed, the runner-up last year, was quickest up the sticky last hill after the triathlete tried and failed to make a break.

The races were held over a slightly different course to the one used for the Inter-Counties in March in order to protect underfoot conditions. In the young athletes’ races the stand-out runner was European under-20 1500m bronze medallist Josh Lay, who took the junior men’s race for Rugby & Northampton from a limited field where no club closed in a scoring team.

BARBERVILLE, Fla. – A new decade of World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series racing begins Feb. 7-9 during the DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park.

After an epic conclusion to the 2019 season, which saw Brad Sweet edge 10-time series champion Donny Schatz by four points for the title, the World of Outlaws is gearing up to start the season with the same level of excitement.

The three-day season opener at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla., will set the stage for the rest of the year with several teams looking to build upon their 2019 season, others looking to improve it and a couple of new teams looking to make their mark in the sSeries.

Here is what to expect at the DIRTcar Nationals and beyond for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series season.

Several full-time World of Outlaws teams retain their same crew from the 2019 season into this year, allowing them to further build upon the momentum created last season.

After Brad Sweet and Kasey Kahne Racing started their championship run with two top-five finishes at the DIRTcar Nationals, the pair will target another strong start in their quest for back-to-back championships.

Schatz also placed in the top-five for both races at the DIRTcar Nationals last year but had the task of working with a new crew chief and crew members. Now, with a full year together under their belt, the Fargo, ND driver and his Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing team will be able to hit the ground running as he searches for his 11th World of Outlaws title and 300th career World of Outlaws win.

Jason Johnson Racing will see the biggest change among full-time teams this year. David Gravel returns for his second year with the team but will miss a handful of races as he’ll also be running six NASCAR Truck Series races this year. The team plans to run for the owner’s championship with another driver – still to be announced – filling in for Gravel when he’s not racing.

Daryn Pittman and Carson Macedo are also returning to their respective teams for a second year this season. Pittman, of Owasso, Okla., began his tenure with Roth Motorsports last year by winning the DIRTcar Nationals Big Gator and will be going for his fourth Gator in eight years this year. Macedo, of Lemoore, Calif., earned the 2019 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year title with Kyle Larson Racing and will be poised to continue his development as a top Series driver.

Pennsylvania-based team Shark Racing will be on the hunt to continue the head of steam it built in 2019 with Logan Schuchart winning eight races – doubling his career win total – and Jacob Allen, again, closing in on his first series win.

Sheldon Haudenschild, of Wooster, Ohio, and Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing return for their third year together with NOS Energy Drink as their primary sponsor. After impressive performances last season, such as dominating the Ironman 55, the team will be one to watch this year. Haudenschild will also be working with Kyle Ripper as his new crew chief. Ripper served as Ian Madsen’s crew chief last year.

Veterans Kraig Kinser, of Bloomington, Ind., and Jason Sides, of Bartlett, Tenn., will continue to field their own teams as they look to put their name on the winner’s list – which saw 19 different winners last year.

When cars roll on track for the first time at Volusia Speedway Park, there will be two new full-time World of Outlaws drivers – rookie contenders Mason Daniel and Wayne Johnson.

Daniel, of Springville, Calif., will field his own team with 122-time World of Outlaws winner Danny Lasoski by his side as his mentor and crew chief. The 19-year-old driver has been racing Sprint Cars full-time for two years, earning two wins in a 360 sprint car. He made nine starts with the series in 2019, earning his best finish of 15th at Dodge City Raceway Park.

Johnson, of Oklahoma City, Okla., has been competing mainly with the Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series in a 360 sprint car and running a handful of 410 sprint car races for the last 10 years. He’s made more than 150 starts with the World of Outlaws throughout his career but has never ran more than 21 races in a season. He’ll be teamed with TwoC Racing for the full season.